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Wood not expected to pitch in All-Star Game

Wood not expected to pitch in All-Star Game

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By Carrie Muskat
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MLB.com |

CHICAGO -- Cubs pitcher Travis Wood is an All-Star, but he most likely will not pitch in the July 16 game because the lefty is scheduled to start Sunday night.

Major League Baseball used to have a rule that stated any pitchers who started on the Sunday before the All-Star Game could not pitch in the actual game. But that rule was changed, and it's up to the team and the pitcher.

Wood is scheduled to start Sunday night against the Cardinals in the Cubs' last game before the break.

"Obviously, if there are no rainouts or anything like that, he'll pitch Sunday, so obviously he won't be able to pitch [in the All-Star Game]," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said Monday. "The good thing about it is he'll be pitching Sunday night, which is a pretty good venue for a guy who deserves as much as anybody to be in the [All-Star] Game, and to pitch Sunday night against the Cardinals leading into the All-Star Game is promoting the All-Star Game as much as anything. That's about as good as you can get other than playing in it."

The Cubs aren't going to tweak the schedule so Wood can get one inning in the game, which will be played at Citi Field in New York.

"Hopefully, he gets to pitch in a lot more All-Star Games," Sveum said. "He made the team, and it's going to be a great experience. Whenever you go for the first time, it's an unbelievable experience. Sunday night will be a good venue to let him showcase and let everybody know he's in the All-Star Game."

Wood is the first Cubs left-hander to make the All-Star game since Ted Lilly in 2009. Lilly did not pitch in that game either.

The 84th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM also will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.